Star Trek: Atlas
by The Drastic Raven
Summary: Two New races are about to emerge and show their presence to the federation. Both are sworn enemies, and it's up to Captain Nathaniel Brahms, an earth raised Romulan, to settle the matters of the two different races before they unleash destruction on the Milky Way Galaxy.
1. Prologue

STAR TREK ATLAS

BASED ON STAR TREK BRIDGE COMMANDER BY ACTIVISION AND TOTALLY GAMES

PROLOGUE

ALPHA NATARI SYSTEM  
200 YEARS BEFORE THE UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS...

Lieutenant Draconis Sky'thonar and his family ran down the decks of the Serenity in their mad dash to the shuttle bay. The ship had fallen into a trap of the Martir Empire, let by Emperor Wraitan Zeriah. The Martiran whom held a grudge against his father, Nihlos, for destroying their Yamato dreadnought prototype before it's completion, among other things. Martiran Berserkers and landing parties were overrunning the ship, taking prisoner every Jrekkon they could find. If they fought back, they were either killed or vaporized by polaron disruptors. The Sky'thonar family already had a few close encounters already. So many soldiers on leave had sacrificed themselves to help them escape. The general was considered the Unity Clan's most important asset, and needed to escape alive at any cost.

"The escape shuttles are in here!" Nihlos input the codes for the shuttle bay, but the doors didn't open. Frustrated, he tore the door down. A fatal mistake.  
On the other side of the door were Martiran Berserkers, and his sworn enemy. In the flesh.

"Surprise!" Wraitan laughed sarcastically, an electrified dual-blade in his hands. "Did you really think it would be that easy, fool?"

"The only fool here is you!" Nihlos roared, unsheathing his two-handed sonic-amplified sword. "Ziha, take the children to one of the shuttles!"

"You can't take them all, Nihlos!" Ziha argued.

"Don't worry, Ziha. Berserkers are as dull as a rock-fashioned blade, I can handle them. As for Zeriah, he can't fight what he can't see, and power has blinded him for centuries..." He then threw a flash flare, blinding his opponents, and charged. It didn't take long until the odds had been evened. Ziha, Draconis, and his brother, Commander Thri'gon had boarded a shuttle in the confusion, starting it up. Nihlos felt the adrenaline rush through him, feeling great satisfaction as he impaled the last Berserk er on his sword, his flare dying out. This was turning out better than he first thought: Avenging the Serenity's crew, killing Martiran Berserkers, saving his family, and gaining a few honorable battle scars in the process. Not bad for a day. Victory was his...

"Father, behind you!" Draconis yelled, but by then it was too late. Wraitan jumped up on his back, stabbing him through the chest with his dual-blade. The pain from the electricity was so great, Nihlos couldn't even yell. He dropped to his knees, losing the grip on his sword, pain displayed on his features as blood from one of his hearts ran down over his uniform. Wraitan smirked. He killed the blade's electric field, and ran one of his fingers over the open wound on Nihlos's chest as it dripped drops of his silver-colored blood on the floor.

"Who says vengeance isn't sweet?" He licked some of Nihlos's blood of his hand, then put his mouth next to his head. "You should have known better than to cross me in the first place, Jrekkon. Now you, this ship, and your family will pay the price!"

"NO!" Ziha drew two short swords from under her tunic and charged. "I WON'T LET YOU!"

"No, Mother!" Draconis started after her, but Thri'gon held him back. "Let me go! He'll kill them both!"

"It's too late!" Thri'gon snapped, and hit a panel, shutting the door.

"What are you doing?!" Draconis yelled.

"Ensuring someone will avenge them!" Thri'gon snapped, getting ready to blow down the bay doors. "We will kill Wraitan, Draconis. Together. It's what they would want! It's what we need to do! If we don't survive, no one will avenge them or the Serenity!"  
And with that, the bay doors were blown open, and the shuttle took off into warp before the Martiran ships could react. Draconis then thew his older brother out of the chair, and started to punch his brother in a rage, screaming "You coward!" over and over, before he finally broke down in despair. Father was all he had. All that he had cared about. Now he was gone...

MARTIRA – HOME WORLD, GAMMA QUADRANT  
FIVE WEEKS AFTER NIHNOS' DEATH

Young 20-year old prince Anasazi paced up and down the landing pad, more agitated by the second as his royal guard watched. He received reports that his father had been severely injured in his raid on the Serenity, and his Battle cruiser, Executioner, was on course for home four weeks ago. Now, his father was being shuttled down to the planet.

Honestly, Anasazi could care less about his father's injuries. Personally, he wished he'd died. His quest to kill Nihlos and his ways of thinking were so outdated in his opinion. So outdated in fact, that the Empire was starting to regress under his father's leadership. Others would agree with the prince, but never spoke it in pubic for fear of execution. Wraitan was a power-hungry control freak. The only way for him to succeed his father would be if his father died, which he had hoped when he first received the message. Unfortunately, that hope had evaporated into thin air a couple days later. He made a mental note to later 'revoke' the rights of the medics whom saved his father. He then noticed the shuttle landing, and did his best to retain his annoyance and displeasure. He guessed Wraitan would live. For now...

USS SOVEREIGN – ORBIT OF OMEGA DRACONIS KESSOK COLONY  
THREE MONTHS AFTER LEGATE MATAN'S DEFEAT...

Lieutenant Brahms sat at the science station on the bridge. He was still nervous about this first posting. Of course, it was a great privilege to be able to serve on a Sovereign-class vessel, but it still meant you had a lot to uphold. Especially if the captain is considered a local hero in the region.

"Hey kid!" Brex piped up. "You OK? You look like your going to hurl!"

This caught Commander Larsen's attention. "Brahms, do you need to go to sickbay?"  
"Oh! No, Commander!" Brahms immediately snapped to attention. "I-I'm just still trying to absorb the fact that I-I-I got assigned to the Sovereign. She's uh... gathered quite a rep..."

"Very well, but try not to regurgitate anything on the bridge." She cut him off flatly.

"Now Saffi," The captain said, hinting at annoyance. "What did I tell you about giving him some slack? He's fresh out the academy!"

"With all due respect, sir, that's what bothers me. " Commander Larsen challenged. "He still has a lot to learn."  
The captain pinched the bridge of his nose for a minute. Then, she turned to Brahms.

"What the Commander is failing to say is 'don't worry, we've all been in your position.' Just treat this like your academy drills and everything will be fine, Lieutenant."

Brahms sighed, a little relieved. "Yes, sir." He didn't understand why the Commander was such an over-tight prude when it came to crew matters, but it seemed she had an extra stick up her rear just for him. He was starting to get all those jokes the crew told about her "Missing her cycles." He also began to feel the same way he felt when he started through school on earth. Everyone thought him to be some sort of psycho or something, just because he was a Romulan. Even when they knew he hardly knew anything about Romulans in general, himself being human-raised. But he brushed it off like he did in school, and focused on operating the science station. That's when something caught his eye.

"Captain, I'm picking up a vessel warping in. It's configuration is Cardassian! It's a Hutet Dreadnought ! From the former House Arterius!"

"RED ALERT! BATTLESTAIONS!" The captain barked, bolting out of his chair to tactical. "Felix, defensive posture! Kiska, alert the colony's defenses! Brex! Shields! NOW!"

The crew's response to the captain's orders was so streamlined and quick, they might have set a record.

"Kessok cruisers are moving in, captain." Brahms reported. "They're in blockade formation, ready to defend!"

"We're being hailed, sir." Kiska reported.

"On Screen." The captain said. On the bridge of the Hutet was Legate Matan himself!

"Matan!" Saffi stood up. "What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be dead!"

"Oh, am I?" He said sarcastically. "You mean the sensors on your powerful Sovereign didn't pick up my escape craft? Looks like I overestimated your ship from the

beginning. But enough on explanations. Time to finish what was started!" The transmission cut, and the Hutet started firing continuous volleys of high-speed torpedoes at the Sovereign! The deck shook from the impacts.

"Shields are at 67% and falling!" Felix said. "Starting evasive pa..." Before Felix could finish, the deck bucked up violently, throwing the captain into the ceiling, and Commander Larsen into the status panel behind the captain's chair! The panel shattered, electrocuting her as she screamed! The captain then fell to the floor, blood pouring from his fractured skull.

"CAPTAIN!" Brahms vaulted over his console, running to the captain. "BREX, CUT POWER FROM THAT PANEL!"  
Brex didn't need to be told twice. The panel died, and Larsen fell down to the floor, glass shards and circuit fragments sticking out her chest and abdomen. A crewman on the bridge ran over and checked her pulse. He frowned.

"Brahms, she's dead..."

"Felix, continue evasive!" Brahms barked. He checked the captain's pulse. He was still alive, but barely. "Brahms to sickbay, medical emergency!"  
No response. Brahms tried to remain calm, tearing off the arm of his uniform and applying pressure to the captain's wound. "Sickbay, acknowledge! Brahms to Engineering! DAMMIT, SOMEONE RESPOND!"

"System Alert! Complete internal ship-wide communications failure! Com systems are offline!" The computer voiced. Brahms began to panic. "Crewman, get me the bridge medical kit! Now!"

"Brahms...?" The captain opened his eyes.

"Stay still captain. You've been injured..."

"Where's ...Commander Larsen?"

"She's dead, sir." Brahms explained as a crewman got out the medical tricorder. "She was thrown into a console. There was nothing we could do..."  
"Brahms... You have... Command... Stop Matan... That's an... order..." He started to go limp in his arms.

"Brahms, we're losing hi

m!"

"Crewman, 30 milligrams catirozine!" He injected the captain with the hypospray.

"No effect! He's flat-lining!"

"Cortical Stimulator!" They applied the stimulator. "Now!" The captain convulsed, then went limp again.

"Again!" Another jolt. Nothing.

"God Dammit, Captain, don't give up on me! Again!"

A final jolt, but no effect. Brahms felt his stomach wrench. This can't be! He thought. He can't be dead!  
"No. Captain..." He couldn't believe it. The one person he looked up to was now gone.

"Brahms? What should we do?!" Brex panicked.

"What?" Brahms asked.

"He left you command, Brahms!" Kiska snapped. "You have the Conn! If you can't handle it, give to someone who can!"

It then hit him. Hit him like a quantum torpedo. For the first time since the Kobayashi Maru, Brahms was scared. He wasn't sure if he could cut it! What if he made a mistake? A mistake that could cost the lives of the entire crew? And the colony?

But then his thoughts went back to his honored captain, his hero. He looked at him, dead in his arms. This wasn't fair! He didn't deserve to die like this! That phrase kept going through his head. Then, he made his choice.

"I'll make you proud..." He whispered. He gently laid the captain down on the deck, and walked over to the captain's chair. He slowly sat down.

"Brex, ship status." Brex hesitated, stunned.

"BREX!" Brahms snapped. "That's an order!"

Brex snapped to attention. "Internal ship communications are down, forward shields have failed! We have hull breaches on decks 9, 10, and 11! force fields are holding. We have moderate damage to the main deflector and the shield grid has been damaged. The forward shield emitters are offline!"

"Lieutenant Savali, tactical status of the Hutet and the Kessok blockade." Brahms said. His face was as serious and hard as granite.

"The Hutet is trying to break the blockade with it's firepower. They've focused all their shield emitters on their forward shield. The don't have any shielding on any other section."

"Come about, Felix!" Brahms ordered. "Ready Phasers and Quantum Torpedoes! Target their warp core, full volley! Kiska, tell the Kessok Heavy Cruisers to focus their positron beams on our targeted coordinates."

"Core targeted, sir. We're in position." Felix reported.

"Kessok Ships in Position and Standing By." Kiska confirmed.

"Fire at will!" Brahms said, scowling at the view screen's image of the Hutet. The damaged Sovereign then unleashed it's fury of Phasers and torpedoes on the unsuspecting vessel, along with the two-pronged attack from the Kessok. The torpedoes impacted the hull, while the Phasers and positron beams pierced it.

"We've hit their core! It's destabilizing!" Felix reported. "They have a breach!"

"Back us off!" The Sovereign and the Kessok then distanced themselves from the Hutet, as it exploded in fury.  
"...The Hutet has been destroyed, sir." Felix reported.

"We're being hailed by the Kessok colony. They send their thanks and gratitude for our help." Kiska said.

Brahms sighed. He got up out of the chair. "Brex, I'm sorry that I snapped. I was tense. Please get the internal com back online. Kiska, contact Admiral Liu. Re-route it to the ready room. I'll be there if anyone needs me. Felix, you have the bridge."

With that, he walked over to the ready room. Once inside, he sat behind the desk and sulked in the chair.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1  
FIRST CONTACT

DEEP SPACE NINE  
THREE WEEKS LATER...

Lieutenant Brahms walked along the promenade, his personal belongings in his knapsack. It had been three weeks since the "repeat" indecent at Omega Draconis with Matan. They had held a service for the Sovereign's former captain, and re-instated her with a new one. Meanwhile, they had been taking shore leave here on the Station. Brahms was also being transferred to another ship. Which one, however, he didn't know. He was heading over to Quark's, as the bridge crew had a smallparty planned, to boost morale. There was also going to be a surprise for him. He wondered what it would be as he walked in.

"Hey, Brahms!" Brex called out, the surviving bridge crew of the ordeal around a table. "Over here!"

"How are things, Brex?" Brahms asked with a smile. "Enjoy your leave?"

"Yeah. Thing is, we got some good news and some really good news..."

"Okay, give me the good news first." Brahms said.

Brex pointed behind him. To four people he didn't notice when he walked in. People he should have noticed.

Colonel Kira, Admiral Janeway, Miles O'Brian, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

"You're being transferred today. You're ship's due any minute, and that's just the start..." Kiska said, starting to cry.

"Lieutenant! At attention!" Janeway said. Brahms was at attention in a snap. Then, Brahms got the shock of his life: Janeway got out a box with captain's pips and a new-style comn badge!

"With the power invested in me and Starfleet Command, I, Vice-Admiral Kathryn Janeway, promote and commission you, Nathaniel Taylor Brahms, to the rank and status of Captain. Congratulations, and god have mercy on your soul." She pinned the pips on his collar and swapped his badge. "Your former captain would be proud of you."  
"Admiral... with all due respect, what ship am I getting command of?" Brahms managed to ask  
She pointed out of one of the windows to a docking ring. A federation ship was decloaking! It was unbelievable! The new Odin-Class Galaxy "X" Refit!

"The _USS Atlas_!" He gasped.

"With the latest in technological breakthroughs and upgrades the Federation has to offer." Miles O'Brian explained. "She's equipped with the new Triton warp core, bio-neural technology, camouflaged ablative armor, advanced weapons, including a Phaser burst cannon, phase-quantum and transphasic torpedoes, and regenerative, mutating anti-Borg shields, along with other things, including the finest crew Starfleet could assemble. She's all yours."

"And of course, you'll still have your old bridge crew along for the ride." Janeway said. "It probably wouldn't be the same without them."

"Let's have a toast." Picard said. "Everyone! A toast to the new Captain of the U_SS Atlas_, Captain Brahms! May fortune follow him and never fade!"  
"May fortune follow him and never fade!" The bar echoed, toasting with their glasses.

Brahms couldn't help but smile as he toasted with his new crew. My own star ship, he thought. What a big step! He looked out the Promenade window at the Atlas as she docked with the station. This was going to be an amazing time in his life.

USS ATLAS

BRIDGE

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Brahms did he best to cap his nerves as he sat down. This was the first time he'd actually sat in the captain's chair since the _Sovereign_. The retrofitted Galaxy-class bridge was amazing. Despite it's subtle, aged framework, he knew underneath was the latest technological breakthroughs that Starfleet had to offer.

"Is it comfortable?" Janeway teased. She was sitting in the left chair, as she was going to go with them to personally monitor their first assignment.

"...It's just still new to me." Brahms managed to say.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." She smiled sincerely. "I was the same when I took command of _Voyager_, believe me."

"If I must say so, Admiral, It's a great privilege to be working with the new Triton series warp core." Brex was as exited as a kid in a candy shop as he looked over his instruments. "Cutting edge technology! Wow! I still can't believe we're here!"

"Tell me about it!" Kiska Exclaimed. "This is going to be a real beauty to pilot! It's almost just like the old Dauntless!"

"Now the only thing missing is the science and first officers." Janeway said. "They should be here any minute now..."

And in through the turbo lift walked two new faces. A Kessok, whom was the science officer, and Commander Willis!

"Captain, Commander Willis and Lieutenant-Commander Keal'Dran reporting for duty."

"Welcome aboard, both of you. Take your stations." Brahms smiled. Willis sat down in the chair right of Brahms, while Keal'Dran took the science station across from Kiska.

"We've heard a lot about you, Captain." Willis said. "I look forward to working with you, and so does Keal'Dran."

"Likewise." Brahms said. He then turned to the Admiral. "So what's our first assignment, ma'am?"

Janeway then stood up and went to the center of the bridge, her posture full of command. Everyone's eyes were on her.

"There have been some disappearances in the Gemini nebula on the opposite side of the wormhole. We're not sure who it was, but we suspect foul play. Three of our science vessels have gone missing, and we need to find out what happened to them. They were investigating some tachyon disturbances when we lost contact with them. The Dominon government and the founders say they don't know what happened, and have given us permission to send a ship in. It's your job, Captain Brahms, to find out what happened. I can't offer you any advice I'm afraid. Starfleet has only sent me to observe your performance, but I trust you will get the job done. Your command, starts now." She then sat down again.

"Alright, clear all moorings. Signal the station, Kiska. Tell them we are heading out. Detach docking umbilical and clamps. Commander, run us through the start up sequence."

"Running start up sequence now, Captain." Willis said.

"Main systems powering up!" Brex said with glee.

"Impulse and warp engines online." Kiska sounded off.

"Main deflector and navigation subsystem online." Keal'Dran reported.

"Weapons and targeting systems online." Felix said.

"Docking umbilical and clamps released. Station signaled. They say we're free to go." Kiska reported.

Brahms pointed to the view screen. "Take us out, one quarter impulse."

JRE'KKON CRUISER "HEAVEN'S RAY"

GEMINI NEBULA

GAMMA QUADRANT

Draconis held onto his command chair as the ship shook again from enemy fire. Sparks fell from the ceiling, as the hull groaned under the beating it was taking. Wraitan had found him during a scouting mission. Wraitan wouldn't stop until he was dead, as he was pursuing _Heaven's Ray_ with a pack of five ships.

"Aft shields are at thirty-four percent!" His tactical officer reported.

"We've lost slipstream!" The engineer yelled. "Hull breaches on decks three, four, five, and six! Emergency force fields are in place!"

"Any luck with the distress call?" Draconis asked the comm officer.

"Don't know yet!" The female officer replied.

"We're nearing the Gemini Nebula! We might be able to take cover inside of it! They won't be able to lock weapons on us once we're inside!"

Draconis hated retreating, but he had no choice in this bout. "Take us in!"

_Heaven's Ray_ flew into the nebula full throttle. Wraitan and his ships ceased pursuit.

"They're not pursuing us into the nebula. They've broken off... for now." Tactical reported.

"Good. Bridge to Medical, status of the human survivors from the skirmish?"

"All are well, but they are rather annoying. Some are demanding, others have lost their nerves, and the rest are just questions upon more questions. Other than that, all of them are well and alive."

"Good. They may have lost their ships in the skirmish, but at least they are alive..."

"Sir! Long-range scanners are detecting a new vessel entering the vicinity at high warp!"

"Is it another martirian ship?" He asked.

"No... It's Federation!"

Draconis felt his stomach turn. "Hail them at once! Tell them to stay away from the dustcloud!"

"Our communications are being jammed by the neubla, sir!" The communications officer said.

Draconis panicked. "Take us out of the nebula, now! Power up shields and weapons! On viewer!"

As _Heaven's Ray_ exited the nebula, Draconis saw the terrible fact. He was too late. The Federation vessel had already dropped out of warp. It appeared to be a heavy battlecruiser. A Galaxy-class, though heavily refitted.

Draconis had done research that the Martirian defenses, though as advanced as they were, could be penetrated by certain types of particle beams. The Federation Starfleet had that type of weapon. The previous science vessels just didn't have the chance to use their weapons; they were caught too quickly in the crossfire in his fight with the Martirians. Perahps this ship would fare better, with a distraction.

USS ATLAS

The ship dropped out of warp. Immediately, proximity alert sounded.

"Sir!" Keal'Dran's console started to light up like a christmas tree with alarms. "I'm detecting five large vessels! Thier power readings are off the charts!"

"Can you identify them?" Brahms asked.

"No, sir!" Keal'Dran answered. "Their designs don't match anything in our database! Two of them are comparable to the size of a _Sovereign_-class starship, the final one is... massive! Two times the mass as an _Excalibur_-class starship!"

"From their current formation layout, I'd say that is the lead ship! Wait... There's a sixth vessels emerging from the nebula!"

"Configuration is different than the first four, but it still doesn't show up in our database!"

Then, there was a flash on the bridge. It faded.

And there, stood Q.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

FIGHT OR DIE

_Captain's log, Stardate 57683.7_

_The USS Atlas has just arrived at the Gemini Nebula to investigate the disappearance of several of our science vessels. So far, we have had no contact from our missing ships, but we have found several other ships of an unknown configuration, and an... uninvited guest._

USS ATLAS

"Not your average bunch of ships, is it Captain?" Q asked.

Brahms immediately recognized Q. Everyone that went through the academy these days had to know about the omnipotent Q and their continuum.

"What do you want, Q?" Brahms asked as patiently as he could.

"Oh, nothing. Just want to see how the new 'Romulan' Starfleet captain can handle this situation. I'm just here to watch."

With that, Q strolled right behind the Captain's chair right next to Felix Savali. Brahms wanted so badly to take this cocky omnipotent being and fling him across the bridge, but knew that would only get him some sort damnation from Q.

"Sir, I'm reading a massive power surge from the unknown ships! Their powering up some sort of poleron weapon systems!"

"Red alert! Shields up!" Brahms ordered.

"Shields are up!" Brex reported.

"Captain..." Felix said. "They're not targeting us! They're targeting that ship that just emerged from the nebula!"

"We're receiving a transmission." Kiska reported. "From the lead ship outside of the cloud."

Brahms was cautions. "Open a channel."

"Channel open."

"This is Captain Jared Brahms of the Federation starship..."

"We know who you are, Captain!" A being with red skin appeared on the viewscreen. He had long, orange hair with hints of silver, possibly from age. "I am Wraitan Zeriah! This is an internal Martir matter, you will not interfere."

Brahms kept his patience. "We are looking for several of our science vessels that vanished near here..."

Once again, Brahms was cut off. "You will only find their wreckage. Consider your science vessels and their crews casualties of war."

Brahms tread cautiously. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean, you primitive Romulan, is that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I've been hunting down a certain faction, and they were simply caught in the crossfire."

"Simply caught in the crossfire?!" Brahms was shocked as to how Wraitan just so casually brushed it off like nothing.

"As will you, if you don't leave immediately." The screen then went blank.

"Sir, I'm recieving a message from the ship that just emerged from the nebula. They say 'Start shooting if you want to live'." Kiska said.

"Captain, one of the smallerscale cruisers are moving to intercept. They have locked weapons on us!"

"Evasive maneuvers! Ensign, try to hail them again! Brex, power to weapons! Keal'dran, give me a status on their defenses." Brahms barked.

"Scanning... Sir, although they use polaron-type pulse weapons, their shielding is rather standard. From whay I'm reading, a high-energy particle beam, like our phasers, should penetrate their shields."

"No response from the Martir ships, sir. They're ignoring us."

One of the Martir cruisers then fired on the Atlas. The ship shook.

"Direct hit! Forward shields down to eighty-five percent!"

Brahms knew now that he had only one option: Fight.

"Felix, target the sensor array on the cruiser, maybe we can blind them!"

"Main Phaser banks locked on."

"Fire!"

Felix's hands glided across his console, pushing buttons. Two beams of orange light flashed across the viewscreen. It passed through the Martir crusier's forward shields as if they simply weren't there.

"The Cruiser's sensors have been disabled! They're blind!"Looks like we've got their attention! Two of the remaining cruisers are coming at us!" Keal'Dran said. "The rest of them are forming around the Martir dreadnought."

"Felix, fire phasers again! Concentrate on their sensor grids!"

"Firing..." Several more beams flashed across the viewscreen, taking out the cruisers' sesors. "Direct hit! Their sensors are out!"

"Sir!" Keal'dran looked up from his console. "Part of the dreadnought's hull is opening... It's a fighter bay!"

"Capacity?" Brahms asked.

"...200 single-man fighters."

"Armaments?"

".,,Poleron pulse cannons. They also seem to carry several mircro-warheads. And they're launching them all."

"Magnify." The screen then zoomed in on the dreadnought. Sure enough, a part of the hull had literally slid open, and the fighters were pouring out like wasps.

"Can we take them out?" Brahms asked.

"Not before they take us out." Felix said. "I'm having trouble locking onto them! They're firing a volley of micro torpedoes!"

The ship shook violently, rolling to port partially before correcting itself.

"Forward shields have failed! Direct hit to the hull! Duranium Ablative armor holding!"

"Ger the forward shields back up, Brex! Any suggestions about the fighters?" Brahms asked.

"Considering their size, we could try to overload their on board systems with an electromagnetic pulse." Keal'dran said. "We'd need to generate a pulse that would span 500 kilometers around the ship. Once they entered that area, they'd be disabled by the pulse."

"We could utilize the main deflector!" Brex said. "But for a pulse that size we'd have to utilize a lot of power, divert power away from the warp engines! It would leave us without warp for a few minutes."

"Do it!"

"Aye, sir. Transferring power!" The ship shook again from another volley of micro torpedoes. "Power transferred!"

"Initiate electromagnetic deflector pulse!"

The pulse burst out from the Atlas like a bursting bubble. The waves of the pulse hit the Martir fighters, sending them ricocheting away.

"Sir, message from the other ship. The one that exited the dust cloud. They say 'We have your people. We should now run' "

Brahms was now suspicious. "Keal'dran, scan that ship for humanoid life forms from the federation database."

"On it... Sir, I'm reading life signs... They are the crews of the missing science vessels."

"Can you get a lock on them?"

"Not possible, sir. They have their shields up, and even if they had them down, there's no way our transporter system could get them all onboard before they were alerted." Brex said.

"Noted. Open a channel to both vessels. Maybe now Wraitan would like to explain what he did here."

Kiska hailed them. "Still no response, sir."

"Captain, the larger ship is targeting us and the smaller ship. They have a lock on us." Felix reported.

"Can we disable their sensors?"

"No, sir. Their sensor equipment is embedded deep within their hull!"

"What about their engines?"

"Targetable."

Brahms turned to Brex. "How soon until we can go to warp?"

"At least another sixty seconds." Brex said. "I'm having to reinitialize the system!"

"Felix, what types of torpedoes do we have in the holds?"

"200 Type Nine Photons, 75 Quantums, and 30 Tricobalt torpedoes."

"Arm six tricobalts! Fire them, with a burst from the main phaser cannon at their engines on my mark!"

"I've targeted their engines!" Felix said.

"With the phaser cannon? A bit extreme, don't you think?" Q laughed. "Well, I guess they did start this whole thing..."

Brahms ignored Q. "Fire!"


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

NEW PROBLEMS

"Lauching torpedoes, phaser cannon firing..." Felix reported. The Screen lit up with phaser fire and the white flare from the Tri-Cobalt Torpedoes. While the Phasers pierced the Dreadnought's shields, the Torpedoes did their job as they burst into explosion hitting the engine housing.

"Their engines are out!" Keal'Dran reported. "The other ship is warping out, trajectory nine-eight-two mark one-zero."

"Warp drive is back online!" Brex reported.

"Don't lost them, Kiska! Floor it!"

Not needing an explanation as to where to go or how fast, she matched the course and speed of the ship they just saved, entering warp speed.

"They're increasing speed to warp seven! They're trying to outrun us!" Keal'Dran reported.

"Overtake them!" Brahms ordered.

"I'm trying sir!" Kiska said.

"Target at warp eight point five!" Keal'Dran said.

"Brex, I read in the ship's report that this is a 'warp thirteen' capable star ship?"

"Yes, but it's never actually been tested!" Brex began. "The Triton warp core has the power and capability to theoretically reach warp thirteen, but only in the sims..."

"Target is at warp nine." Keal'Dran reported. "We won't be able to keep up at this rate!"

"Looks like we'll have to test it now!" Brahms said. "Brex, give me everything she's got! Kiska, punch it up to full throttle!"

Brex swallowed hard. "Aye, sir."

"Ready to increase warp speed on your command, sir." Kiska said.

Brahms looked at the viewscreen at the ship. "Warp ten! Engage!"

The ship then started to slightly vibrate as it shifted up to higher speed.

"Approaching warp nine... warp nine point six... nine point seven... nine point eight... nine point nine five... Warp ten!" Kiska said.

"We're overtaking them!" Keal'Dran said.

"Core is stable so far..." Brex said. "Hull stress is minimal at the moment.."

"Sir, their powering down their warp engines! Their slowing to impulse!"

"Stay with them, Kiska!" Brahms said. "Keal'Dran, our position?"

"Unknown, sir. We're in an unexplored part of the Gamma quadrant. This system's star is capable of supporting life, and I am reading several M-Class planets in this system..." Proximity alert then went off. "Sir, I'm reading multiple ships closing in! They're similar to the one we've just chased down!"

"What is their word on firepower?" Brahms asked.

"Poleron disruptor beams, and what appear to be accelerated positron torpedo lauchers."

"We're being hailed by the ship we pursued." Felix said.

"On screen." Brahms said.

On the screen was a bewildering sight! The being was nothing like the Martirian they saw! It was like a giant, humanoid lizard with wings! Dragon-like, if that was a term that could be used. It had a resemblance to gargoyle statues! It wore barbarian-like armor, and had scars all over the visible parts of it's body.

"Nice job on the Martir dreadnought, Captain." The being said. It was clearly male.

Brahms got up, still trying to be professional. "I am Captain Brahms of the USS Atlas representing..."

"The united federation of planets. Yes, we know. In fact, we have the crew of your missing science vessels. Now that we're in friendly space with the advantage of numbers, I'll lower our shields and let you transport them onto your vessel."

Brahms looked to Keal'Dran. "Thier shields have been lowered." Keal'Dran said.

Brahms seemed relived. "Star beaming the survivors back on board." He then turned to the being. "Who are you?"

"I am Draconis, Chieftain of the Jre'kkon Unity clan. I wish our first contact could have been under better terms, but the Martirians always seem to complicate things these days."

"Just what was that about with the Martirians?" He asked.

"I'd rather discuss that face to face." Draconis said. "We'll discuss it on your ship. I'll be standing by to transport over. Draconis out."

The transmission was cut.

Brahms sighed. "What a day this is turning out to be. Felix, Keal'Dran, come with me. Let's go greet our guest in the transporter room."

USS ATLAS

TRANSPORTER ROOM FIVE

"Energizing..." The transporter light flickered, materializing a massive figure. Brahms was surprised! Draconis must have been at lest seven and a half feet tall! He wore the same garments as before: Barbarian-like fur hide, with armor plating over it. He carried some sort of pistol on his side, and a massive sword on his back. Jean-Luc Picard is going to be jealous of this first contact, Brahms thought to himself.

"Good day, Captain." Draconis greeted. "I am Chieftain Draconis Sky'thonar of the Jre'kkon."

"Pleased to meet you." Brahms replied, shaking Draconis's clawed hand. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, and I also express my thanks for your assistance." Draconis replied. "I'd hate to think of what would have happened if you had not shown up. As for the matter of why it happened, I'd like to discuss that with you and an official of Starfleet."

Brahms figured he'd have to involve the Admiral in this conversation, despite her just being there to observe. He might have bitten off more than he could chew on this one.

"Very well." He tapped his badge. "Admiral Janeway, meet me in the ten-forward strategy room. Follow me please." He gestured for Draconis to follow him.

TEN-FORWARD

STRATEGY PLANNING AND NEGOTIATIONS

TEN MINUTES LATER...

"So that entire battlegroup was all planned to capture just you?" Janeway asked as she sat at the strategy holo-table with Draconis Sky'thonar. Brahms, Felix, and Keal'Dran were also seated.

"Sadly, yes." Draconis answered. "They wouldn't let me go without a fight. Not even your federation's negotiation skills would have helped in that matter. The Science vessels tried to reason with the Martirians, but they just ignored their pleas and blew their ships up. I was lukcy to get them all on board my vessel in time."

"But why are they hunting you?" Brahms asked. "Is there war going on between your peoples?"

"It's been going on for centuries. Even before your Federation was formed." Draconis looked over to the windows that showed the starry backdrop and planets that was the Jre'kkon star system. "It started when my father, Nihlos Sky'thonar, destroyed a great weapon they were developing. A weapon capable of cracking open small planetoids like your moon. They were planning on using it on actual planets. On our colonies. Father led an advanced strike team to infiltrate the station where the weapon was being developed, and destroy it. He succeeded, but Wratian Zeriah wasn't going to let this go so easily. He eventually made it his life's mission to hunt my family down, and if I die, he will succeed. I am the only one left with the Sky'thonar name. Once I fall, my people will be divided again, and we will lose this war."

Brahms walked over to the viewport. The situation sounded dire. This would not be easy. "So what do you expect us to do?" He asked.

"Simple: Let my government join your United Federation of Planets." Draconis answered. "If Wraitan tries to attack while we have an alliance, he risks all-out war with more than half the galaxy. You have many allies; too many for me to name off on a simple list."

"I highly doubt that Starfleet Command and it's allies want to be dragged into a war with the Martirians." Janeway said.

"I'm afraid they have little choice in the matter." Draconis folded his muscular arms, leaning back in his chiar. "Wraitan has had a watch on your Sector 001, or Terran system, for a while now, as well as the home systems of your allies; Vulcan, Bajor, and Qo'nos to name a few. He'd be willing to risk a strike now that they've completed testing their new Yamato Dreadnought. It would be a repeat of Wolf 359 when you faced the Borg. Plus, look at the situation, Admiral. They have already committed an act of war against you. They destroyed three innocent science vessels, without provocation, just because they were in the area. They would've destroyed this ship as well, given the chance. You've seen their firepower, and how far they will go to obtain their goals."

Janeway leaned forward on the table. "Suppose we did join forces. What makes you think we have the power to stop them?"

Draconis then hit a few buttons on the table's console, bringing up a display of several Federation Starships: A Sovereign, A Galaxy, and an Akira, as well as a one of the Martirian ships they encountered and a Jre'kkon cruiser.

"Martirian vessels may have weapons that can do great damage, but so do you. They use kinetic shielding rather than energy shielding to protect their ships from damage. It takes a lot of shots from our weapons just to punch a hole with barely enough time to get a warhead through. Without that hole, the kinetic shields stop the weapon dead in it's tracks and causes it to detonate prematurely." The holo display showed the Jre'kkon cruiser firing what appeared to be polaron energy beams and a type of torpedo at the Martirian dreadnought, "Even with our blade ramming modes on our cruisers, we could not get past their shielding. But you can. Your Particle weapons, your Phasers, are capable of penetrating their shielding. It causes disruptive disturbances in their kinetic field, and ninetly-percent of the beam just passes through it like a 'hot knife through a stick of butter' as you humans say." The holo display then showed two of the three federation ships firing phasers at the dreadnought, and the hole they opened up on it's shields. "The thing is, your Phasers also open up a temporary hole in their shielding, as was just demonstrated by Captain Brahms's brilliant strategy with his torpedo strike. After a Phaser disrups their kinetic field, it leaves a hole in their defenses for a limited time, about five seconds after the Phaser stops. Take the time to fire solid ordinance, such as torpedoes, at the right subsystems, and you can cripple or even destroy their ships." The holo display then showed the Jre'kkon cruiser and the three Federation starships firing torpedoes through the gap in the dreadnought's shields, and it exploded. "Obviously the Martirians have tried to patch this design flaw with their kinetic shields, but have had little success due to the complications of the system. Besides that, they've never considered another race having just the right weapon to burn through their defenses."

"How do you know this?" Janeway asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have my sources." Draconis clicked his claws together Sadly, I cannot disclose them, for my fleet's security. If one of you were to be captured, or if we somehow were able to bring the Martirians to the negotiations table and my sources were revealed, it would put too many in danger. The important thing is, we have this information, and they don't."

Janeway frowned. "We'll have to return to DS9 to get a message back to Starfleet over a secure channel."

"Then I ask permission to remain on board so I may be present for any meetings or questions your superiors have." Draconis said. "I've already arranged it with my commander, so he will know what's going on.."

"That's up to the captain." Janeway looked at Brahms. "Your answer?"

Brahms thought for a moment. This could get really messy if the Martirians were as dangerous as Draconis claimed. Plus, he thought he shouldn't risk an incident with the Jre'kkon over this. "Permission granted." He tapped his com badge. "Brahms to Bridge, contact the lead Jre'kkon ship, inform them that Chieftain Sky'thonar is coming with us to discuss the Martirian issue with Starfleet, and lay in a course for the Bajoran wormhole, warp nine. Kea'dran, I'd like you to look over the sensor data we have on the battle with Wraitan and this strategy for dealing with the Martirian dreadnoughts. Have it ready for the Admiral to present with her report. Felix, please arrange quarters for our guest."

"Aye, sir." Keal'dran got up. "I'll be in astrometrics looking over the data."

"Chieftain Sky'thonar, if you'll follow me please." Felix then exited the room with Draconis behind him.

Brahms looked at Janeway. "What do you think the brass at Starfleet will say about this?"

Janway walked over to the window canopy. "Whatever they decide, they can't ignore this threat, that's sure. As for an alliance, I don't know what they will say."


End file.
